My Friend, the Fates are Cruel
by Aoi Para
Summary: Angeal is finding happiness with his apprentice, but as Genesis begins to degrade, everything falls apart with him. Angeal must reevaluate what means to have SOLDIER honor, and just how important it is. Prequel to CSSA, but can stand alone. A/Z & A/G/S.
1. Three Things

**Author's Note:** Some of you are new to my work, and others are here because of "Causes Stain, Stay Away". This uses the class system found in CSSA, but this story should be fine to read on it's own if you've never read, CSSA. I've decided that instead of writing a long one shot, to make this a short chapter story. I'll try to put a chapter out with each update of CSSA. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FF7CC at all. I do hope to go to the Square Enix showcase this fall and take a picture with some ShinRa guards, though.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zack stared in awe at the SOLDIER First in front of him. Could it really be true? Angeal Hewley had chosen him from all the graduating cadets to take on as an apprentice. A one-on-one mentor. With a SOLDEIR First. And he was an S class, to boot. Zack's mind wasn't working right at all, and he could barely hear what the Second that was his teacher was explaining. When Angeal brushed past the teen and left the room, Zack stayed rooted to the spot. His former instructor gave him a strange look before shaking his head and turning away.

"Aren't you coming?" Angeal asked, amused. Zack whipped around, his eyes big and a blush fighting its way to his cheeks.

"Y-yes, sir! Of course!" Zack stuttered as he walked to the door. Angeal chuckled as he began walking again.

"You weren't paying attention at all," the SOLDEIR first said, teasing.

"I'm sorry, sir. It's just that I'm too overwhelmed that you picked me," Zack replied, a bit nervous.

"At least you're modest about something," Angeal teased.

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" Zack asked, terrified about what his superiors were spreading about him.

"Do you have dreams?" Angeal asked, completely avoiding Zack's question.

"Uh… yeah," Zack replied, not sure how to respond to the question.

"What are they?"

"Well, mostly about home and fighting."

"_Not_ those kinds of dreams," Angeal said, his voice taking on the flavor of a teacher.

"Whaddaya mean?" Zack asked puzzled.

"To be a SOLDIER you must have three things," Angeal said. He stopped at the elevators and pressed the up button. He didn't continue, and remained silent as he waited for the elevator.

"And those would be…?" Zack finally asked, tired of waiting.

"Well, you might need more than three things to make it as a SOLDIER," Angeal chuckled. Zack's jaw dropped at the jab, taken aback.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the teen whined. The elevator doors dinged open and Angeal stepped inside; Zack followed suit. Angeal slid his ID card in the terminal and pressed the button for the 49th floor. It was Zack's first time going there, as the SOLDIER cadets shared space with the ShinRa Guard cadets and Turk trainees on a lower level.

"Class B3 Zack Fair SOLDIER Third, do you trust me?" Angeal asked as he watched the numbers go up on the digital readout.

"Of course, sir," Zack replied without a beat of hesitation. The elder man just smirked, seemly amused by the response. The doors opened to the 49th floor, and Angeal motioned for Zack to step out first. Zack took his first steps onto the floor reserved especially for SOLDIER. He had done it—really done it! He'd made it into SOLDIER. He was living every boy's dream. Angeal copped him on the shoulder as he passed him by.

"This way," the SOLDIER First directed. As they walked through the hall, the nearby SOLDIERs greeted Angeal warmly. They stopped in front of the room labeled "Training Room". Angeal pressed the button beside the door, and it slid open. Once inside, Angeal handed Zack a visor pointed at the glass wall. "Put this on and go in there," he directed.

"Why?" Zack asked, confused.

"I thought you said you trusted me," Angeal said credulously.

"I do, I do!" Zack said as he placed the visor on and walked toward the glass door of the hologram room. Once inside, Angeal's voice came over the speaker.

"Once I start the program, I'll send your instructions to your PHS. You do have that, right?" Angeal asked, his voice once again teasing.

"Of course I do!" Zack huffed, pulling it out of his pocket.

"Right. Then I'm starting the program," Angeal said. As soon as he finished speaking, pixels began flowing from the floor and began building a world around him. It was strange. Zack knew it wasn't real, but the affect was mind blowing. He felt like he was actually in the town he saw. His PHS vibrated in his hnad, so he flipped it open, and selected mail.

"There are thirteen cats stuck in trees throughout the city. Find… one of the three things you must have in SOLDIER?" Zack read. "What the hell! What's this supposed to mean!" Zack's PHS began to ring. The caller ID read Angeal, so the teen pressed the accept button and lifted the phone to his ear.

"This is your first lesson. There are times when SOLDIERs must perform duties that make no sense. It's up to you to make sense of it," Angeal explained, then cut the line. Zack sighed, looking at his phone.

"_Oh man_," Zack whined. What kind of mentor was Angeal?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

After three hours of running around the simulated town, find all the cats, getting praised by some townspeople, and admonished by others, the digital world around Zack finally began to dissolve. The glass door opened to Angeal, who remained in the doorway. Zack removed his visor and walked towards his mentor.

"Did you learn anything?" Angeal asked, as the teen got closer to him.

"I learned that cats don't seem to like me. And that some people have sticks up their asses," Zack muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "I still don't get the point of that exercise."

"What were your instructions?" Angel asked.

"To find one of the things I need to be a SOLDIER," Zack grumbled.

"Why don't you think about it and tell what the point of that exercise was when you've reached your own answer," Angeal said, a smile spreading across his lips. "You worked hard, though. Enough training for today. Let's go out to celebrate you making it into SOLDIER."

"Out, sir?" Zack exclaimed, his eyes widening in excitement. "You mean I can leave the compound?"

"Yes, Zack," Angeal confirmed, obviously amused at the teen's excitement. "But first you'll need to change into a SOLDIER Third uniform."

"Yes!" Zack cried out in excitement. Zack bounded out of the training room and stood bouncing in the hallway. He hadn't been out of the compound except for missions. He'd barely gotten to know the Midgar streets at all. Angel lead him to the briefing room and pulled a blue Third uniform from one of the pods. Excitement boiling over, Zack eagerly changed on the spot, completely unabashed. "Alright! Let's go!" he exclaimed as soon as he fastened the SOLDIER belt around his waist.

"Do you have you ID?" Angeal asked. Zack patted his pockets, then nodded. "Then let's go."

The two returned to the elevator. Angeal remained calm the whole ride down, but Zack was bouncing in place, too excited to sit still. When the doors finally pinged open at the lobby level, the teen jumped out and practically ran down the stairs to the front door. Angeal followed at a more sedate pace, enjoying making his puppy of an apprentice wait. Once they left the building, Angeal took the lead. He made his way towards Loveless Avenue, Zack bee-lining behind him. The elder chose one of the family restaurants on the main street. After showing their IDs tot eh greeter, they were seated at one of the more secluded tables. Zack looked around his surroundings with the upmost curiosity.

"It's so much nicer than any restaurant at home…" the teen said in awe.

"Yes, it's much better than anything from my hometown too," Angeal agreed. "I tend to refer the more homey types of restaurants, but this one is fine for today."

"Homey? What do you mean?" Zack asked.

"Like the restaurants you'd find in a small town. There are plenty of them, below the plate," the mentor explained.

"Below the plate… Can we go sometime?"

"When you're ready," Angeal replied, his voice a bit terse.

"But I am ready, sir!" Zack protested.

"Not until I say you are," Angeal pushed back. Zack backed down, knowing he'd over stepped his bounds. When the waitress came, Angeal ordered for the both of them, then turned back to his pupil. "Once you figure out what you need to be a SOLDIER, I'll recommend you for a class promotion. When you make B2, I'll take you to the slums."

"Really?" Zack exclaimed, excitement crawling back into his voice.

"Really."

"Alright!" Zack cried, fist pumping. "I better get thinking!"

From that point Zack plunged into his thoughts. The mission Angeal had given him had just two sentences: Cats, and finding the things he needed to be a SOLDIER. Obviously, he didn't need cats to be a SOLDIER. Was it his sword? His uniform? He never saw anything like that in the simulation while he was looking for the cats. But the mission didn't specifically say he had to help the cats, either. He'd just done it, because it had seemed like the logical thing to do at the time. Maybe it had something to do with the cats after all? The first cat he rescued belonged to a little kid that thanked him. The second cat belonged to a middle aged house wife that said she wouldn't have known what to do without his help. The third belong to a crotchety old woman that cursed him. The fourth cat belonged to a young scientist, and it jumped back and forth between three trees, eluding Zack's grasp every time. The scientist would berate him almost every time the cat got away.

Every other situation he'd encountered was similar to the first four. At times he had wanted to give up. At times, he wanted to sock the ungrateful people, but refrained. Despite that, he kept going because he knew it was something that needed to be done. Then it hit him—despite the hard time some of the townspeople gave him, despite the damn annoying cats that wouldn't cooperate, and despite the ridiculousness of the mission, Zack wouldn't have been able to continue if he hadn't had some pride in himself. If it wasn't for the fat that he felt the need to prove to those people that SOLDIER was out there doing good, and that he was SOLDIER and it was the right thing for him to do to help, he would have just given up.

"That's it!" Zack exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table. The plates and silverware rattled. He hadn't even noticed that his food had been served.

"Did you figure it out?" Angeal asked as he lifted a fork full of steak to his lips.

"To be SOLDIER, I have to be Proud of what I am and what I'm doing! And I can't just not do things because I think they're stupid, or the people don't deserve my help, either. I was sent there for a reason, so I have to make the best out of it and prove that SOLDIER are doing some good!" Zack exclaimed. Angeal chewed his food thoroughly before swallowing, drawing out Zack's anticipation.

"Exceptional, you should really eat some before it gets cold," Angeal said, motioning at Zack's plate with his fork. The teen deflated.

"Am I wrong?" he cried, exasperated.

"Now, I never said that," Angeal chuckled. "You got one and a half. So I'll give you two."

"For real? Yes!" Zack exclaimed.

"To be a SOLDIER, you must have SOLDIER Pride and maintain your honor, just one more to go."

"Don't I get a hint?" Zack asked, cocking his head to the side.

"I already gave it to you when we first met," Angeal said, smiling he lifted another piece of steak to his lips. Zack groaned, holding his head in defeat. "You should really eat your food before it gets cold."

"Is there a reason you're being so hard on me, sir?" Zack asked, peeking up at the older man. "Or are you this mean to all your apprentices?"

"Never had another apprentice," Angeal answered after he swallowed. "But I guess you could call me SOLDIER's mentor. Sephiroth's never been much for maintaining his men's morale, and Genesis always locks himself away to study literature in his spare time. Before I knew it, everyone came to me when they needed advice. I wouldn't say it was something I chose, but everyone needs someone to talk to at some point in their life."

"Then why did you suddenly decide to take me on as your apprentice?" Zack asked, picking up his silverware.

"I saw you on the training fields a couple of weeks before your final entrance exam. You reminded me of a stray puppy I fed when I was a kid," Angeal answered. Zack's knife slipped and cut the plate, making an awful noise.

"I reminded you of a puppy? So you took me as an apprentice? How weird can you get, sir?"

"Zack, you have great potential, but, like a dog, without training, you won't get very far."

"But I've already had my training! And the mako injections!" Zack whined, miffed at Angeal's reasons.

"And that's fine and dandy if you want to stay a Third. Zack, I know you can make First. And to do that, you need to be trained by a First," Angeal explain. Zack felt his anger melt away at the compliment.

"You really think so?" Zack prodded, cocking his head to the side.

"Right now, my dream is to see you make First. I'll make it happen, but you're going to have to use a lot of elbow grease yourself."

"Your dream, huh…" Zack murmurmed. Then it hit Zack—the third thing he needed. "My dream since I was little was to be a SOLDIER, but I've done that now."

"You can have more than one dream, Zack," Angeal urged, giving the teen a knowing smile. "Is your next one to become First?"

"No…" Zack said quietly, thinking it over. "No… my dream is… to become a hero. I want to become a hero!" At these words, Angeal busted out laughing. "Hey! What's so funny?" the teen demanded.

"That's a swell dream," Angeal responded when he got his laughter under control.

"Yeah. I think so too, sir," Zack said, relaxing back into his chair.

"One more thing, Zack," Angeal said.

"Was I wrong about the dream being the third thing?" Zack asked, scared that he would have to face another of Angeal's puzzling trials.

"Don't call me 'Sir'. Makes me feel old." The older man smiled as Zack visibly relaxed.

"Then what do you want me to call you?" the teen asked, laughter seeping into his voice.

"Angeal."

"Alright, An-geal," Zack agreed. With his trails out of the way, the teen picked up his silverware once more and cut into his steak. At the first bite, his face wrinkled in disappointment. "Dammit. It's cold."

"I _warned_ you," Angeal hummed.

"Oh, shut-up."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zack tentatively pressed his lips to Angeal's. The older man stayed still until the teen pulled back on his own. Zack's face was flushed. He quickly turned away from his mentor, mentally stressing over his actions. Angeal didn't react, nor was he saying anything. The atmosphere was incredibly awkward.

"Zack, what was that about?" Angeal probed, his voice merely curious.

"I, uh, well…" Zack stusttered.

"Yes?" Angeal pushed again.

"I saw a lot of the other Thirds and Seconds kissing and even more stuff—not on purpose of course, it's not like they're just doing it in the open—it's just that I always seem to stumble across the make-out spots, I guess. And, well… I was just wondering what it was like. Kissing a guy, you know," Zack stumbled to explain, turning beat red to his ears. Angeal chuckled at the teen's reaction.

"You were kissing at 12?" the First questioned.

"Ah! J-just once. It was a girl that confessed to me before I left for Midgar. I didn't really know about anything beyond that until I joined the cadets," Zack explained, placing his hands behind his head and kicking one of his legs. He was trying to play it cool in front of the man that he seemingly developed a crush on.

It had been a little over two months since Angeal had taken him under his wing. The First had recommended him for a Class Promotion, but his case was still being reviewed. During the wait, he had undergone a series of microsurgeries and injections. It was all part of a series of SOLDIER conditioning—he had found out rather quickly that only a small part of the conditioning occurred before he was fully inducted into SOLDIER. This was to weed out the weaklings, the ones who were not physically capable of absorbing mako. After being fully inducted, each new SOLDIER underwent a series of further surgeries and injections to enhance each person to their fullest potential. As a Class B3, he received 8 of these procedures in total. The officials handling Zack's case wanted to wait until the teen had completed the conditioning to make their determination. If he made B2, Zack was eligible for further conditioning when he was promoted to SOLDIER Second.

Between the surgeries, Angeal had been taking him out on long training missions to help him adjust to his newfound capabilities. The missions were obviously too easy for Angeal, but they were challenging for Zack. Despite the fact that he had learned how to properly fight and use materia, he found that the control and precision he had at graduation was less. Angeal patiently helped Zack hone his new strength. Occasionally, Zack found himself unconsciously screwing up on purpose—he wanted Angeal to correct his form, to laugh at his stupid mistakes.

"Well, it is true that SOLDIER has a rather strong sexual culture," Angeal conceded. "I remember when I was a cadet. Someone would always sneak in a porn mag, and everyone would huddle around it. It seems to be like some right of passage for cadets to experience that stuff."

"Really?" Zack asked, dropping his hands to his sides. "Is that why almost everyone I know seems to be screwing around?"

"I guess you could say that. There is a lot of skinship within SOLDIER, within most of the upper classes in Midgar really. But I suggest that you be careful. While no one will down on you for relations with multiple people, it's not an open invitation to go crazy. Sex as a means of creating bonds must be used sparingly," Angeal explained. Zack's heart began to beat faster again.

"Then, Angeal, can you teach me? The art of negotiating sexually in ShinRa?" Zack asked, his cheeks turning pink once again. Angeal's eyebrows knit together in discontent. He stared at Zack for a few long moments before opening his mouth.

"I'll consider it," he said. Zack's heart leapt, and his body was about to follow, until he realized that Angeal was still talking. "when you reach Second."

"Why?" Zack whined, stepping forward and grabbing Angeal's shirt.

"You're too immature to go all the way," Angeal responded curtly.

"Am not! I can handle it!" the teen continued to whine.

"Right now, you're just a horny fourteen year old boy. When you get a bit bigger, and your hormones settle a bit more, if you still want me to teach you, I'll indulge you," Angeal said, his voice half harsh and half teasing. Zack grumbled in disappointment. Now he had a clear goal—achieve Second in as little time as possible.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"You're new puppy is quite adorable," Genesis called as he strode across Angeal's apartment to the living room. His voice carried a tone of disinterest, but Angeal knew that the brunet was teasing him. Genesis laid down on his friend's couch as Angeal began to stirs the noodles in the fry pan.

"You took the time to watch him?" Angeal called back.

"He's a cocky, overconfident mutt, that one. You sure you can train him?" Genesis teased.

"He seems to be responding well enough," Angeal quipped back. He grabbed the bowl of steamed vegetables that were left over from his lunch and mixed them into the noodles.

"You need to teach him to stay. He follows you everywhere," Genesis quipped back. Angeal laughed, knowing that it was true to an extent.

"Not quite everywhere. He's not that bad—"

"Yet," Genesis finished for Angeal. "You've created another fanboy."

"As long as he learns something. He has the attention span of a two year old. Even if he's following me around, he's thinking of other things."

"Why did you choose him?" Genesis asked, his tone turning serious.

"If he can get rid of his attention issues, he could make First. He's incredibly talented," Angeal answered honestly. He shut off the stove burner, lifted the skillet and divided the noodles onto the two plates he had prepared earlier. Genesis stood and quickly strode across the apartment. The brunet stopped behind Angeal and grabbed the ravent's ungloved hand with his gloved one. He lifted the appendage, spatula and all, to his lips and kissed the back of it gently.

"_All that awaits you is a somber morrow,_" Genesis quoted. Angeal swatted the brunet away, managing to bop Genesis on the nose.

"Sit down," Angeal snapped. Genesis chuckled at his friend's reaction and backed up until he was at the kitchen table. He took a seat and waited for Angeal to serve him the food. The ravenet place both plates, as well as two beers on the table. Genesis waited until Angeal was seated to pick up his fork. Te two began eating in silence. After several bites, Genesis reached for his beer and took a long swig.

"I still can't believe that you took an apprentice at the height of the war. Are you trying to get out of leading grunts to their deaths?" Genesis said, breaking the silence. Genesis himself, had just returned from a two month long operation in Wutai a few days before. It had been his first opportunity to observe the puppy and his owner.

"That isn't the reason. I really do believe he can make First. He seems to be the type that would make a good leader. Despite being a bit naïve, Zack has a good head on his shoulders. He has a very good fighting sense, and he has lots of pride," Angeal insisted.

"You seem quite taken with this pup. I've never understood your infatuation with the lower classes," Genesis sniped, twirling his noodles around his fork.

"They're people too, Genesis," Angeal responded, less than thrilled at his friend's reaction. "Though lately, he's been worrying me."

"Why is that?"

"He seems to have taken an interest in ShinRa's sexual politics."

"So?"

"He's too young. I think it's too soon for him."

"I was already giving you head by that age. Let him be," Genesis sniped, picking his beer up again.

"Don't you have any morals?" Angeal asked, though he knew what the answer would be.

"I do. I have very sophisticated and high class ones. Let him experiment," Genesis answered, exactly as Angeal had predicted.

"Zack seems to be brimming with wild untamable sexual energy. I worry that if he starts before he learns better judgment that he'll make some very unwise decisions," Angeal explained his concerns.

"Then sleep with him yourself. Wrap him even tighter around your pinky, put a leash on him and ravish him. Make him so enraptured by your sword that he'll never be able to consider anything but your Buster again," Genesis suggested, getting caught up in the dirty poetics.

"I told him I would teach him if he made Second," Angeal admitted, grabbing his beer and chugging it down. Genesis just started his friend in disbelief before breaking into a grin.

"You are attracted to him," Genesis teased.

"No more to him than I am to you," Angeal replied.

"That only makes it worse." Genesis smiled naughtily as he rested his head on his fist. "Mind if we skip the shower? I wonder if I can pick out the puppy's scent from yours."

"We're taking a shower."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Author's Note:** So should I continue? Drop me a review to tell me your thoughts, please!


	2. Zack the Maid

**Author's Note:** So chapter two! There's a lemon in the first scene, you've been forewarned.

Thanks to Nikki, Maya928, Yooney, and zexydemyx66 for your reviews! They made my day! I'm so glad there were people who liked the first chapter.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the FF7 compilation. If I did, FF7CC woulda been longer.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Oh, Sephiroth_," Genesis moaned, "your ass is so fucking tight." The brunet slapped the General on the ass as he buried himself deeply into Sephiroth. Sephiroth grunted in annoyance at Genesis' slap. The silveret braced himself and pushed back into Genesis' thrusts.

"You really like that position," Angeal stated, watching his two friends from the other side of Sephiroth's huge bed. For all Genesis and Sephiroth teased him for his love of dogs, it was Genesis that liked to fuck doggie-style.

"_Uhng_. Because—it gives me a great view," Genesis moaned as he licked his lips. Angeal suspected that it was really the brunet's need for power. He couldn't beat Sephiroth on the battlefield, so he'd subdue him in bed in a very submissive pose. Genesis picked up his pace, Sephiroth matching every convulsion perfectly. The brunet gripped the General's hips tightly and forcefully stilled them as he came. Every muscle in Genesis' body tensed, then relaxed. Sephiroth was left hard and unsatisfied in his friend's grip. Genesis relaxed backwards slightly, but refrained from pulling out for a few moments.

"Come here," Angeal beckoned to Genesis. The elder pulled completely out from Sephiroth with a soft moan. He crawled across the bed towards the ravenet and took the slightly younger man's cock into his hand. He began to pump Angeal's half-hardened cock to full attention before leaning down to swirl his tongue around the head, his ass in the air. Genesis licked the underside before taking the large member into his mouth and bobbing his head, taking it deeper with each bob. Angeal groaned and threaded his fingers in the brunet's tresses.

Sephiroth crawled across the bed and grabbed Genesis' hip. He spread the elder's cheeks and pressed the middle finger of his left hand into Genesis' ass. The brunet moaned in approval, sending pleasurable vibrations through Angeal. Sephiroth pressed more fingers into Genesis, quickly preparing him. When he felt that the man was prepared, he caught some of Genesis' cum trickling down his leg and used it to slick his penis. Positioning himself, Sephiroth slid into Genesis with ease, burying himself to the hilt. The brunet moaned again, resulting in Angeal tightening his grip on the brunet's hair and bucking into his mouth. Within a few thrusts, Genesis was hard again and dripping onto Angeal's leg. After establishing his rhythm, Sephiroth began to vary the angle of his thrusts slightly until he was sure he was hitting Genesis' prostate every time. Genesis pulled back from Angeal's cock and groaned in intense pleasure.

"Fuck, there. _There. More dammit,_" the brunet growled. Angeal sat up more upright. He brought his fingers to Genesis' lips and pried his mouth open as he nudged his erection against Genesis' cheek.

"Don't forget about me, now," Angeal scolded. Genesis moaned again before returning his attention to Angeal's cock. Angeal leaned up and pulled Sephiroth down. The two locked lips and engaged in a deep, slow kiss. The silveret broke the kiss as Genesis tightened around him. He sped up his thrusts and reached for the brunet's dick, beginning to pump it as he felt himself getting closer. Genesis took Angeal's cock as deeply as he could handle, the ravenet releasing in his throat. As he swallowed, he could feel Sephiroth's thrusts becoming more intense. He continued to bob and suck Angeal, making sure to milk him, then broke away as Sephiroth's grip on his own dick tightened. Within moments the two came, Genesis spilling all over Angeal's leg. Sephiroth thrust a few more times before pulling out and crawling back to his side of the bed and collapsing.

"When are you going to train your pup where to lick?" Genesis asked Angeal languidly as he flopped down between his friends.

"I have no interest in make him a butter dog," Angeal groaned, hating that Genesis was bringing up the subject yet again. Zack had just received a promotion within SOLDIER Third and was now beginning to take missions on his own.

"No one's a better butter dog than you," Sephiroth teased, running his fingers over Genesis' lips.

"And no one's ass is as tight as yours," Genesis jabbed back, smirking. Sephiroth grabbed the brunet's face and shoved it before rolling off the bed.

"I feel disgusting, your cum's everywhere. Clean this up before you even think of sleeping," Sephiroth commanded as he strode across the room to his bathroom. Angeal sighed and stood as well, grabbing the upper corner of the sheets and pulling it off. Genesis refused to get off the bed, so the ravenet threw the messy sheets on top of him. Genesis swatted them off and sat up, glaring at Angeal.

"Your pup's growing up fast. If you don't train him soon, he won't heel," Genesis said.

"Whether I sleep with Zack or not isn't any of your business," Angeal said sternly.

"The next promotion is to Second. He'll make it by the time he's fifteen," Genesis pointed out. "And once he's a second, he'll be dealing with the big dogs soon."

"He's bright, if not a bit socially stupid. It'll hold off the offenders a bit longer," Angeal argued back.

"His stupidity is exactly what makes him popular," Genesis said, licking his lips.

"You _aren't_ allowed to touch him," Angeal commanded, picking up a pillow and throwing it Genesis.

"Reduced to pillow fights now?" Genesis asked rhetorically. He grabbed the pillow and threw it back at the ravenet. "As delicious as forbidden fruit always look, they are hardly worth the trouble."

"Get off the bed. I need to get clean sheets on it before Seph returns," Angeal commanded.

"You know how long he takes. He'll be another thirty minutes at least. Why not lay back and soak up the bliss of post coital relations?" Genesis rebutted.

"Off, now," Angeal commanded sternly. Genesis looked at his friend with half-lidded, annoyed eyes.

"Fine. Then I shall join him in the shower," the brunet grumbled as he crawled off the bed. Angeal sighed as his friend disappeared into the bathroom. Genesis would most likely seduce Sephiroth into another round in the shower. He seemed insatiable at times. The ravenet finished stripping the bed, and pulled out clean black sheets from Sephiroth's linen closet. He put them on the bed, making sure to pull them tight enough on the bed that no wrinkles showed. Growing up in Hojo's lab, Sephiroth had developed an extreme taste for orderly spaces. Angeal was a naturally organized man, but Genesis had messier tendencies. Angeal often found himself cleaning up the messes Genesis left in Sephiroth's apartment to prevent a vicious fight between the two.

When he finished, he sat down of the edge of the bed and sighed. Genesis kept reminding him of Zack's budding sexuality—one that Angeal was certain rivaled Genesis'. Zack was indeed growing up, and growing into a problem that Angeal wasn't quite sure how to deal with. Between Zack's furtive ad shy kisses and the teen's new found best-friend-with-a-penchant-for-porn, Angeal wasn't even sure where to start with the boy. Angeal lay down on the bed and snuggled under the covers. He didn't feel much like returning to his apartment and knew that his friends would soon return from the shower. He could hear Sephiroth's hairdryer roaring from the bathroom.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"How do you even get this crap?" Zack asked in astonishment as he stared at Kunsel's laptop.

"The security cameras," Kunsel explained. "Seems like no one's really careful about where they do it. Some are worse than others though." Zack leaned in and squinted at the couple on the screen. The image wasn't the best—they weren't particularly close to the camera and the angle hid most of the juicey part. Zack could tell that it was one of the female mid-level employees and a ShinRa Guard. And boy did that woman seem to have nice breasts. Zack wasn't particularly excited over the footage though, seeing as the most stimulating imagery wasn't visible.

"Got anything better than this?" Zack asked.

"_Of course_. But the good stuff's gonna cost you," Kunsel said, placing his laptop in his lap and ending the video. "Got any specific people you wanna see something of?"

"Got any Angeal?" Zack asked, getting his hopes up.

"How did I know you were gonna say that?" Kunsel moaned.

"Hey? What's that supposed to mean?" Zack whined.

"You've got a fucking crush on the man," Kunsel stated matter-of-factly

"How the hell do you know that?"

"I know everything."

"Uhg. Anyway, do you got any with Angeal in it or not?"

"I actually don't. I've got lots of footage of him just walking around or talking to people, but he seems to be very private about his sex life," Kunsel said. Zack moaned in disappointment. "About the raunchiest I've ever seen is you kissing him and Genesis slapping him on the ass."

"You have video of me kissing him?" Zack squeaked as his face began to heat up.

"_Of course_. There's like a camera every three yards. Short of doing it in a closet or a bathroom stall or your bedroom, I see it all," Kunsel explained.

"_Fuuuuuck_," Zack cried.

"This is Midgar, Zack. ShinRa's watching. There are camera's everywhere. There are very few places where you actually get privacy, especially here at headquarters. Though computers really do most of the watching. They aren't cruel enough to hire people just to micromanage your class status."

"Gaia, fuck my life! This is embarrassing," Zack whined.

"Oh, get over it. I just told you, I'm the only one watching. It's not a big deal," Kunsel tried to comfort.

"Shut up. You don't understand," Zack snapped. "Have you ever even liked someone?"

"Can't say that I have, but I've had more sex than you," Kunsel replied.

"Uhg! Really! You know things about me that you have no business knowing!" Zack snapped. "Let's not talk about me anymore." Kunsel shook his head.

"Alright fine. Be a spoilsport," Kunsel said, a bitter tone in is voice. The two were silent for a few awkward moments. "I know! Let's get the hell outta here. It's a weekend. Let's go to the slums!"

"That sounds better," Zack said, smiling. Who cared if they didn't actually have leave? They'd be back by that night.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"What the _fuck_ were you thinking?" Angeal yelled. Zack cringed. Not only did the tone in the elder's voice frighten him greatly, but the volume also made his splitting headache even worse.

"I-I guess I wasn't…" Zack mumbled hesitantly.

"Oh, that much is obvious!" Angeal was absolutely livid. Zack had never been so scared for his life. Angeal didn't seem the type to get so angry. Zack honestly thought he could get by without ever seeing the man so livid. Usually Angeal just bopped him on the head and gave him some impossible riddle to solve as punishment when he did something he wasn't supposed to. Then again, Zack figured he went beyond his normal practical joke or tardiness this time.

"I—" Zack tried to explain better, but Angeal cut him off.

"What happened to your honor? Your pride? You're not some slumrat kid! You are SOLDIER! What you did was a complete and utter shame to SOLDIER—to ShinRa!"

"I'm sorry!" Zack screamed, unable to take Angeal's barrage.

"Sorry? You're only sorry because it ended wrong! Because you ended up in the medical ward! Because I'm yelling at you! You're not sorry for your actions at all!" Zack shrank back, holding his head. "It's bad enough that you snuck into the slums and got drunk in a bar. But you had to go picking a fight too?"

"I didn't pick the fight! The bastard started hitting _me_ first!" Zack objected. Kunsel saw it, but the bastard had gone MIA since shortly after leaving the bar.

"I don't _care_ who picked it! Not only did you wreck the bar, but the fight spilled onto the street! Then, after walking away bruised and bloody from the fight, you think it's a smart idea to _fight monsters_?"

"I thought they were endangering the citizens!" Zack defended himself.

"They were endangering you!" Angeal yelled as he raised his hand into the air, readying to hit Zack on the head. Zack closed his eyes and prepped himself for the strike, but it never came. Instead, the elder took a deep breath and reached back to his buster sword. The First brought the guard to his forehead and took another slow, deep breath to calm him down. After a few long, nerve-wracking moments, Angeal put the Buster sword back on its magnetic sheath.

"I'm _sorry_, Angeal. I'm really sorry! I was being really stupid. I shouldn't have snuck out. I lost sight of my honor, and got too prideful about all the wrong things…" Zack blurted out before Angeal could continue his lecture. The older man was refusing to look at the teen anymore. Zack felt pained inside.

"Don't do anything stupid like that again," Angeal said, his voice considerably calmer. "If it hadn't been for that infantryman on duty, you'd be rotting in the slums. Not even decent people help ShinRa folk in need down in the slums."

"Yes, sir," Zack said, voice heavy with remorse. Angeal heaved a sigh and started walking towards the door. Zack just stared down at his hands as his mentor left.

"Get your ass up," Angeal called from the door. "We're leaving. Don't think I'm letting you off with just a lecture." Zack obediently hopped off his hospital bed and followed his mentor. Angeal led the boy to the elevator. After swiping his ID card, he pressed the button for his residential floor. Zack's eyes widened as he realized they might be going to Angeal apartment. It was the first time he'd ever been to Angeal's floor. When the elevator arrived, Angeal led him down the hall. There appeared to be several other apartments on the same floor, but Zack could only guess at who the residents were. The elder finally stopped at a door and unlocked it. He held the door open and motioned to get in inside. Zack rushed in, afraid of invoking Angeal's anger again. The teen looked around in awe.

"It's so much bigger than mine…" Zack said.

"You'll probably get moved to a larger apartment when you make Second," Angeal said as he closed and locked the door behind him. Zack gulped, getting nervous. He had no idea what Angeal had planned for him.

"So… what's my punishment?" Zack asked hesitantly. Angeal turned to the teen and looked him dead in the eye.

"Scrub my apartment clean, ceiling to floor, laundry to dishes. Everything must sparkle. You aren't allowed to sleep until you finish, either," Angeal instructed. Zack's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it. Clean Angeal's apartment? The place was already spotless.

"I don't even see any dust—" Zack began to protest.

"I said clean my apartment. I'll leave it to you what order you do it in. You'll find all the supplies you need scattered around the apartment." Zack pouted, completely disgruntled. What kind of punishment was cleaning a clean apartment after that lecture he'd gotten just minutes before. He didn't understand Angeal's logic at all. Heaving a sigh, Zack trudged off into the kitchen, dirt from the slums tracking behind him. Angeal slipped his boots off at the door and walked around Zack's messy tracks to the living room to read. The teen would realize soon enough how hard it was to get dirt out of white carpet.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Fuuuck,_" Zack whined as he left the now sparkling kitchen and saw the carpet. No wonder mopping the kitchen floor had been more difficult than he had expected. Every time he accidently stepped on the wet floor it got dirty again. It had taken him an hour to figure out how to maneuver his way around the kitchen to leave the floor spotless, only to discover shortly after that he left muddy footprints from the door to the kitchen and compacted dirt into the fibers in the areas near the kitchen. Angeal chuckled from his spot on the couch, amused by Zack's ineptitude. The teen didn't dare move an inch. He began to scan the apartment looking for anything that would help him clean the carpet. His eyes fell on Angeal's shoes by the door. Heaving a sigh, the ravenet decided to shed his shoes and toed his way back to the door.

After slipping his shoes off he avoided the mud tracks and headed deeper into the apartment where there were two doors. The first one he opened led to Angeal's room. Zack's breath caught in his chest as he realized that cleaning everything implied cleaning Angeal's room. He closed the door, not quite ready to face that task yet. The second door was a small laundry room. It contained a stacked washer and dryer, which was just large enough to handle a load of three uniforms. Next to the unit was a set of shelves with cleaning supplies and a small vacuum. Zack grabbed the vacuum and drug it out to the living room. After finding a plug, he turned it on and ran it over the trouble spots several times to no avail. He got most of the dirt up, but there were still stains on the carpet. The teen growled in frustration.

Angeal stood from the couch and went to the bookshelf in the living room. He had finished reading the latest issue of _Gardening Monthly_ and decided he would go over some of the reports his Thirds had turned into him. Angeal was in charge of the Thirds as a unit, while Genesis dealt with the Seconds and Firsts. The divisions within SOLDIER made it so that both oversaw an equal number of men. Sephiroth oversaw the activities of both SOLDIER and the ShinRa Guard. Angeal and Genesis both worked as direct subordinates to Sephiroth, but also as near equals. All three men were Generals, all rank and ability considered, and therefore had a say in the way the battles played out in Wutai. All three men were Class S citizens, SOLDIER First Class, and had ten years of experience on the battlefield. However, Sephiroth was the only one regularly addressed as General; this was mainly because his official position within ShinRa was General of the Armies.

Angeal's duties, outside of performing his missions as ordered and mentoring Zack, consisted mostly of reading mission reports handed to him by Thirds and flagging any that stood out for Sephiroth to review later. The First actually enjoyed the work, though. His men tended to be more inexperienced, and their missions weren't the wildest, but he found that reading the reports was often like reading novels. What he didn't like was the paperwork that often followed. After selecting a few files from the stack he'd brought back from the office, he returned to the couch. No sooner had he sat down did the vacuum cut off.

"Angeal," Zack whined, "Is there something that'll get dirt out of the carpet?" The elder ravenet raised an eyebrow but didn't look back at his apprentice. Cleaning the carpet before working on the laundry and ceilings? If Zack wanted to be stupid, he'd let him. The boy's tactical skills needed a lot of work.

"There's a scrub brush, stain remover and bucket in the bathroom," Angeal replied, taking at least that much pity on Zack. The teen released the vacuum and began searching for the bathroom. He quickly realized that it was inside Angeal's room. He rummaged around under the sink until he found the items that Angeal specified. After reading the directions on the stain remover and filling the bucket with water, Zack began to scrub the stains out. Angeal gave the teen an hour before he put down his work and headed into the kitchen to fix lunch. Zack had managed to completely clean the carpet between the door, kitchen and living room.

"Looking good," Angeal complimented as he grinned. It would only be a matter of time before his apprentice realized his stupid mistake. "You might as well scrub the whole carpet while you're at it," Angeal directed. Zack groaned at the idea but continued scrubbing, picking up the pace as he reached cleaner carpet. Angeal hopped over the wet spot and into the kitchen. He pulled out two fry pans and set them on the stove for later. He would make fried meat dumplings and steamed vegetables for lunch. Thirty minutes later, once he'd finished prepping the dumplings and set the veggies to steam, he poured oil into the remaining pan and reached for the fan switch. Angeal peered up into the fan for a few seconds.

"Zack," he called.

"Yeah?" the teen asked, his voice a bit distant.

"Did you clean the stove and fan?" Angeal asked, knowing the answer already.

"_Shit_," Zack whined. "I'll be right there, Angeal." The teen stood, abandoning his scrubbing, and turned towards the kitchen. It only took one step for the boy to cuss again. "Are you _fucking serious_?" Zack cried as the wet carpet soaked through his socks. He'd completely blocked himself into Angeal's room, and he hadn't even scrubbed the living room yet. Angeal roared with laughter from the kitchen.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zack's brain just could not compute what he was seeing. It didn't make sense at all. Why would Angeal have a leopard-print thong? He did not seem like the type at all. Zack always pictured Angeal to be the kind of guy to wear boxer briefs. The image of his mentor in the underwear left Zack dizzy, speechless and aroused. The ravenet crumpled the underwear in his hands and resisted the urge to rub his face on them. Who knew doing laundry could be so dangerous?"

"Zack?" Angeal asked concerned at the teen's behavior. It had been a little over an hour since the two had finished lunch, and after cleaning the kitchen, the teen had (wisely) chosen to take his socks off and do the laundry. Now the boy was standing in front of the washer trembling. "Are you ok?" When the teen failed to answer, the elder strode barefoot across the still wet carpet to Zack. Zack jumped when he realized that Angeal was behind him, peering over his shoulder.

"Uhm, I-i was just surprised," Zack stuttered. "I never thought you'd be the type to wear this kind of underwear," he explained as he held up the thong. Angeal's eyes narrowed and all concern washed away from his face.

"Genesis," the elder growled as he snatched the underwear away from Zack. Genesis? As in Genesis, SOLDIER First, Class S2? "I better give them back to him," Angeal sighed.

"You mean they're Genesis'?" Zack asked, crestfallen. "Why are they in your laundry then?"

"He's teasing you," Angeal answered curtly. Zack opened his mouth to ask why a man he'd never met was trying to tease him, but Angeal cut him off. "If I go see him, it'll probably be a while before I'm back, so we might as well go over what you've learned so far."

"What I've learned?" Zack asked, cocking his head to the side, eyes wide.

"From cleaning."

"Uh, well… I learned that you clean the floors last…" Zack said, wracking his brain.

"And?" Angeal prompted.

"Dirt and white floors don't get along?" Zack said with a sheepish smile. Angeal copped the teen on the head. "Ow!"

"Those things are true, but you're missing the point. How you started cleaning is like how you acted last night, and how you always act on the battlefield. You never think things through and end up in a tight spot. You have to stop and think about what needs to get done and what is the most logical way of doing it. If you never develop strategy, you'll lose when it counts," Angeal scolded. Zack shrunk back slightly, rubbing his head guiltily.

"I see…" the teen mumbled.

"Now, get back to cleaning. I'll be back later. No slacking, either. I'll be able to tell your lack of progress if you do," Angeal directed as he left for the door. Zack groaned behind him. After putting his shocks and boots on, he left his apartment and walked down the hall to Genesis'. He banged hard on the door, not particularly happy at how the brunet had lured him out.

"So he finally did the laundry?" Genesis asked as he opened the door. Angeal shoved the thong into his friend's chest as he entered the apartment. "Can you send him over here when he's done with your place? I could really use a maid."

"Why a thong of all things?" Angeal asked once the door was shut.

"I thought since you told me we couldn't play at your place tonight, I'd invite you here," Genesis explained, motioning in the air as he spoke.

"With a thong?" Angeal asked incredulously.

"Why not?" Genesis asked as he walked past Angeal and began stripping. "It means I'm not wearing it right now."

"You're insatiable," Angeal sighed as he followed the brunet into his room.

"Why, yes, I am," Genesis said, voice smug and a wicked smile on his lips.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Author's Note:** So kinda hit yall hard with the sex in this chapter. Angeal's teaching style is based on Zen Buddhist's teaching style. It's rather funny to watch from the outside, but not too fun to actually be subjected to. I really enjoy writing Zack floundering around though. It's so much fun. Anyway, drop me a review to let me know you're thoughts. It'll make my day.


	3. Tests and Leather

**Author's Note: ** So I finally got around to finishing this chapter! And on Christmas to boot. Merry Christmas! I'm back in the states now. Yay! I feel kind of like the action scenes in this chapter aren't as good as they could be, but oh well. The chapter's done.

zexydemyx66, Yooney, Nikki, Says Oscar, Thanks for your reviews! They made me really happy!

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned the characters but I don't. All I own is an alpaca plushie.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Zack asked Kunsel, shifting nervously on his feet.

"Of course it is. You gotta pop that cherry sometime, cherry boy," Kunsel said as he inspected the pictures of the girls on the wall carefully. Zack hit his friend on the arm for the comment.

"Don't call me that. It makes being here even more awkward," Zack pouted. They were standing in front of Honey Bee Manor, the most famous brothel in Midgar. The wall was plastered with nude torso shots of the different prostitutes in the building, one hand placed conveniently over their nipples and the other over their eyes. "Do you think they'll even let us back there?" Zack wondered aloud.

"Of course. We're SOLDIER, and high Class B's to boot. We get paid a lot, and we can pay them a lot. We're like jackpots for 'em," Kunsel explained as he grabbed Zack's arm and pulled him into the Manor's lobby.

"That still doesn't mean they'll take us back there," Zack protested.

"Look, I wouldn't bring you here if I hadn't already done it before," Kunsel said, dropping Zack's arm and going over to the booklet by the reception desk. The lobby was gaudily over decorated with large sparkly hearts and flowers everywhere. A particularly rough, shady looking guy was manning the reception desk. Zack slowly stepped up behind Kunsel and looked over his shoulder at the book. It was a more detailed catalogue of all the girls, containing a full body shot in lacey underwear sets and a set of measurements.

"This'll be the first time I'll be in a room with someone so low ranking… Never really had the opportunity to be around any F Classes in Gongaga…" Zack commented as Kunsel flipped the page. "They're so pretty. It's hard to believe they aren't Class A…"

"Relax. You know what they say about Class Fs, right? They're Class Fuckable. They're pretty, but they don't have a lot of brains. That's why they're here," Kunsel said as he flipped the page again.

"Yeah, guess you're right," Zack said shifting to get a better look at the book.

"What kinda tits do you like?" Kunsel asked, flipping the page. "I personally like big ones."

"Hmm… I guess… ones that can fit in the palm of my hand? With a good shape and perky nipples," Zack replied, opening and closing his hand as he envisioned his ideal breasts. Kunsel hummed in thought and flipped the opposite direction in the book. He finally stopped on a page with a thin brunet girl in a black lace bra and panty set. Her waist couldn't have been any bigger than twenty-three inches and her breasts looked to be C-cups.

"How 'bout we compromise and go for C-cups Cindy here," Kunsel asked, looking back at Zack.

"We're going back together?" Zack asked incredulously, crossing his arms.

"Of course! I wanna watch. I may join in later, but this is for _you_," Kunsel explained. Zack sighed.

"Whatever," he said, giving in to his friend. "You'd probably find a way to watch even if I didn't let you anyway." Kunsel smiled and turned back to the man at the reception desk to negotiate. Zack's PHS rang, much to his annoyance. He wanted to ignore it, but he knew only Angeal would be calling him at a time like this. He pulled his phone out and answered.

"Zack, report immediately. You've got a new mission," Angeal said smoothly over the phone.

"Can it wait a little while? I'm a little tied up at the moment," Zack said, trying to get out of it just this once. Lately Angeal had been making him go on missions alone. Despite his nerves, he was actually excited for what he was getting ready to do with Kunsel.

"No, Zack, it can't wait. Get back here right now. You'll regret it if you don't," Angeal said sternly. Zack sighed and agreed. After he hung up the phone he waited for Kunsel to turn back to him.

"Alright, let's go," his friend said enthusiastically.

"Actually, I gotta leave. Angeal just called and said I've got a mission that can't wait," Zack said sheepishly.

"You serious?" Kunsel whined. "That's such a waste."

"Sorry. Duty's calling, and I don't want another pride and honor lecture," Zack explained as he began backing up towards the door.

"Whatever! Don't blame ya. Get going before it's too late!" Kunsel urged. Zack ducked out of the manor and ran as quickly as he could to the train station. The train took a few minutes to make the trip up, but once he was safely in the Sector one station, he started running again. He didn't pay any attention to the glaring guards as he ran through the ShinRa building lobby and into the elevator. He swiped his card and pressed the button for the 49th floor. Angeal was waiting for him outside the elevator, an annoyed expression on his face.

"I told you to come immediately," Angeal said, shifting and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I came as fast as I could! I told you I was a bit tied up," Zack defended himself. Angeal narrowed his eyes at Zack.

"You went to the slums again, didn't you," his mentor accused knowingly. "How many times do I have to tell you that the slums aren't a place for a fourteen year old to go alone?"

"I didn't go alone," Zack defended again.

"But you came back alone. Hopefully Kunsel doesn't get himself injured," Angeal sighed.

"Look, enough about that. About this mission you so _urgently_ called me up here for…" Zack inquired, trying to get Angeal back on track.

"Right. Follow me," the mentor directed. He led Zack into the conference room where a redheaded teen in a black suit about the same age as Zack leaned against the table.

"'bout time, yo. I almost thought your slow ass wan't gonna ever get here, yo," the red head sneered.

"Zack, this is Reno. He's a Turk. He'll be accompanying you on today's mission," Angeal explained.

"Nice to meet ya," Reno said, not bothering to move from his spot. Zack nodded at the teen, not sure how to feel about him.

"Now, I've recommended you for Second. Think of this mission as your final test. Reno will be observing you on the field and will help you out every now and then. Once the mission is over, he'll give his report to Director Lazard to review," Angeal explained. Zack perked up immediately and stared at Angeal with wide eyes.

"You really mean it?" Zack asked, nearly jumping for joy.

"Calm down, puppy. This mission ain't no walk in the park. They're sending you with a Turk for a reason, yo," Reno explained.

"It can't be that difficult if they're sending me with a kid like you," Zack sniped.

"I don't need a muscle butt SOLDIER to tell me what a Turk is capable of, yo," Reno bit back.

"Why you—" Zack said, ready to throw punches at the insult. He took a lot of pride in his 'muscle butt' job and wouldn't stand for it being insulted. Angeal copped him on the head.

"Enough, _boys_," the elder scolded. Zack pouted and folded his arms over his chest. "Reno, explain his mission to him."

"Right," the redhead nodded. He stood and walked over to the computer terminal. After pressing a few buttons, a world map popped up on the screen. "This'll be a reconnaissance mission. When me and my partner were out investigating recent AVALANCHE activities, we stumbled across a rather large deposit of natural, raw materia and a rich mako spring in the Corel area. The exact location of the materia ore has been labeled an AA confidential secret. However, Scarlet wants the materia ASAP. The monsters in the area aren't particularly strong, so we don't need to call in a large force. That's where you come in, yo. Send in one baby SOLDIER to clean out the monsters and secure the deposit. Simple as that, yo."

"So monster clean up duty?" Zack asked as he shifted his weight and lowered his arms. "I can handle this! I'll show you what I'm made of!"

"Good. We leave immediately, yo," Reno commanded as he shut down the computer. "Our copter is waiting."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"I can't believe they let you fly a helicopter yourself. They won't even let me drive with Angeal in the jeep…" Zack said in awe a few minutes after take off.

"It comes with the territory, yo," Reno said. "I'm trained to do a lot of things that you aren't."

"Our jobs can't be _that_ different," Zack complained.

"Like night and day," Reno said, frowning.

"What do you do that's so different then?" Zack asked.

"SOLDIER is like day. You bust butt, blow up an enemy and save a cat and it's all played up as heroism. We Turks, we're like the night, yo. We do our work in private, and everyone avoids talking about us in polite company. We do things that'd make you vomit," Reno explained. "We're also held to a higher standard than you SOLDIERs. A Class only in the Turks, yo."

"And why do you need me to clean out this cave then?" Zack asked, put off by Reno's explanation.

"I already told you. One baby SOLDIER should do the job."

"Can't you take care of it? You can fight."

"You're job is to fight. I've got better things to do, yo. Like failing your ass for disrespecting your superiors," Reno bit out. Zack shut his mouth after that last line. It wasn't worth screwing up his promotion to pick a fight with the disagreeable Turk.

"You went to Honey Bee Manor," Reno said after a few minutes of awkward silence, changing the subject.

"Huh?" Zack turned towards the redhead, confused.

"You went to the Honey Bee Manor before showing up, yo," Reno said again.

"How did you know?" Zack asked, frowning.

"I can smell their gaudy signature perfume on you," Reno explained.

"Is it that strong?" Zack asked, sniffing his arm. "Have you been?"

"I guess you could say I've done a few jobs that required me to spend ample time there. It's just such a unique smell that it's hard to forget, yo," the older teen said, a sad smile on his lips.

"I see…" Zack said, unsure how to respond to the redhead. "How long until we get to Corel?"

"It'll be a few hours. You better just sit back and enjoy the ride. We'll stop at Costa Del Sol to refuel and then it'll be another couple of hours after that."

"Gaia, why so far away?" Zack whined, covering his eyes.

"Man up, SOLDIER. If you get promoted, there's gonna be a lot more missions like this one, yo." Zack groaned. Riding around was just so _boring_.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A soft tap at the front door startled Angeal out of his dozing nap on the sofa. Just as he was pulling himself up, the door clicked open and Sephiroth slid in. Angeal gave up on sitting up and flopped back onto the sofa to wait. After slipping off his boots, the silveret glided across the room and sat down at Angeal's feet. With a gloved hand, he began to stroke Angeal's leg. Angeal shifted at the touch, liking the feel of the heavy leather through his thick pants. He had half a mind of pushing up the material so the cool leather could caress his skin.

"Mmm, what do I owe this visit?" Angeal asked groggily.

"I'm passing on a message," Sephiroth replied huskily as he pushed up Angeal's pant's leg to caress the man's skin.

"What kind of message? From who?" Angeal hummed, enjoying the leather.

"Genesis," the silveret replied as he abandoned Angeal's calf and slid his palm over the elder man's inner thigh. "He and I are leaving for Wutai tomorrow afternoon."

"He couldn't tell me this himself?" the ravenet asked, his voice hitching as Sephiroth teased him with that wandering hand.

"He probably didn't want to get fucked before leaving. We'll be on the front as soon as we get there," Sephiroth explained as he brushed near his friend's genitals, then withdrew his hand.

"It is wise to avoid sore asses on the battlefield," Angeal conceded. "But I take it that you're in a more frisky mood than Genesis."

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Keep moving north," Angeal directed huskily.

"Here?" Sephiroth asked as he rested his hand over top the crotch of Angeal's pants. Angeal hummed in approval. "I see you're certainly at attention."

"Only for my General," Angeal snarked. The silveret grabbed his friend's hardening erection through his pants.

"Sometimes you're just as vulgar as Genesis," Sephiroth hissed as he shifted and leaned down torward's Angeal.

"We've been friends practically our entire lives. Sometimes he rubs off in the most random ways," Angeal said, a grin gracing his lips. He reached up and grabbed the younger man by a long lock of hair that framed his face and pulled him in for a kiss. While lip-locked, Sephiroth shifted again, pulling away briefly to straddle Angeal's hips. He unzipped the ravenet's pants and pulled out his dick. Angeal hummed in pleasure as he felt the leather gripping his flesh. He reached his own hand out to press against the silveret's cock through his pants. "You're certainly ready for battle," Angeal snarked, feeling the hardness.

"Shut up, _Genesis_," Sephiroth sneered as he started to pump his friend with a particularly strong grip. Angeal grunted, the general's movements a bit too rough for his liking. His leather fetish did not mean he had any passion for pain, and much preferred tender loving. He knew Sephiroth was doing it to get back at him for the lame joke.

"Alright, alright," Angeal conceded, beginning to stroke Sephiroth through the cloth. The silveret immediately softened his grip, stopping to play with the head of Angeal's cock, teasing the urethra briefly before encircling it again and pumping down. "You sure you want to fuck?" Angeal eeped out. "It won't be too comfortable tomorrow."

"Not fuck," Sephiroth groaned lowly. "Just cum." He pulled away from Angeal's cock and moved to unfasten his belts and zipper. He lowered his pants past his crotch then leaned forward, capturing Angeal's lips in a kiss.

"Will it be enough?" Angeal murmured as they broke for air.

"It'll do," Sephiroth replied, catching his friend's lips again. He lowered his hips so their dicks were pressing together, sliding one hand down between them to grip their cocks while the other remained next to Angeal's head to support is weight. Angeal gripped the silveret's hips, forcing them lower as he thrust his hips upwards. Sephiroth moaned into the kiss, cock twitching at the pressure and contact. He increased his pumping motion as Angeal took control over how their hips would move, gripping Sephiroth's tightly so they would wouldn't break rhythm.

Sephiroth pulled away from their kiss and tightened his grip around their dicks as he began to pump his fist faster. Angeal took the hint and spent up his own movements, removing one hand to fondle the silveret's ass. Sephiroth turned his head to the side and buried it in Angeal's shoulder, biting hard as he brought himself and Angeal to climax. Angeal winced, noticing vaguely how to bite vaguely killed some of the power of his orgasm. Sephiroth sat there for a couple of minutes, basking in the afterglow, before pushing himself up and looking at his soiled glove.

"I'll have to get a new one," he said as frowned. "The leather of this one will reek of cum even if I wash it."

"Should've thought about it before," Angeal hummed.

"You're in no position to talk either. Take a look at your shirt," Sephiroth shot back.

"I'm doing laundry today," the ravenet said off handedly. "The pup'll be gone for a few days, so I thought I'd rest and catch up house work while I have free time."

"Aren't you lucky?"

"He's with Reno."

"That uprising Turk?"

"Yeah. With in the next year or two he'll probably enter into the top ranks of the Turks. He's incredibly skilled at what he does, but he doesn't have the cleanest reputation."

"If he can handle his own, why worry?"

"Because he's exactly the type they Zack'll befriend in the end. Kunsel was a bad enough influence," Angeal sighed. At this Sephiroth laughed. He pulled up his pants and fastened them.

"If you don't teach him yourself, he's going to be deflowered soon," Sephiroth snarked.

"Shut it, _Genesis_," Angeal barked back, waving his friend off.

"I'll let you know if anything happens on our end. Don't worry too much about your pup. He'll be fine," Sephiroth said as he stood and headed to the door. Angeal sighed, closed his pants, stripped his shirt and flipped himself over on the couch.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Finally!" Zack exclaimed as the helicopter landed. As soon as the blades died down he leapt from the vehicle and stretched. Reno followed him shortly after. Zack looked around, taking in the unfamiliar scenery. It was his first time over to the ocean since leaving for ShinRa, and he'd never been so far north before. He'd always stayed pretty close to home, only ever adventuring a few hours out from Gongaga. Since arriving at ShinRa, he'd run all over that continent and see many different kinds of places. The Corel region differed from most of the landscapes he was used to. He would take it in stride though. The danger ahead wasn't going to be something he couldn't handle, even if it was a test. He had faith that Angeal knew his skills well enough.

"So where do I need to go?" Zack asked, turning back to Reno.

"Follow me," the red head said, walking ahead of Zack and towards a cliff. When he reached the edge, the red head jumped down, startling Zack. The younger teen dashed to the edge to make sure Reno was ok, only to discover that there was a wide ledge about four meters down. "What're you waiting for, yo?"

"N-nothing," Zack stuttered as he prepared himself to jump down as well. When he landed, he did a quick check to make sure nothing fell and his legs were in tact. Reno hit him on the back and pointed into a cave opening. The path inside curved downwards at a steep angle, sinking into darkness.

"It's down there," Reno directed. Zack nodded and made his way into the cave. The sunlight faded quickly, leaving him in near complete darkness. His eyes quickly adjusted to the low light, but he knew that the Turk hadn't had the same exposure to Mako that he'd had.

"Can you see?" Zack asked, turning to face Reno.

"Not really, but I'll be fine, yo," the red head smirked as his fingers glided across the cave walls.

"Whatever you say," Zack frowned, continuing down. Eventually, he could see a source of light coming from the distance in front of him. As they neared, he realized that it was coming from around a bend in the cave path. The light was blindingly bright compared to the darkness he'd just been showed in, stinging his eyes for a few seconds before they readjusted. When he could finally see what was in front of him, he shifted his weight. A Turk was fiddling with a power generator in the middle of a large open room in the cave. Bright lights were strung up over the walls, making the inside of the cave almost as bright as the outside.

"I see you managed to get it all done, yo," Reno said, waling towards the other Turk. The young man nodded as he stood. Reno turned back to Zack. "This is my partner, Rude. He stayed behind to brighten the place up for ya while I fetched you. Better thank him, yo. If not for him even bigger nasties than there are now would be wandering around."

"Uh, good to meet you," Zack said awkwardly, nodding at Rude.

"Let's go." Rude said, his voice deeper than Zack was expecting from such a lean man. Zack nodded again as the Turks turned around and lead Zack to a path at the other side of open room. "Your target is down that way."

"Right," Zack said, slipping past the two and taking the lead. As they walked farther into the cave, they encountered a few monsters, which the Turks left to Zack to deal with. Reno had been correct when he said that the monsters weren't particularly tough, but the red head's words in the open room implied that Rude had already dealt with some of the more difficult ones. Despite the fact that they weren't particularly tough, the monsters weren't easy for Zack to fend off either. He did have to put effort into pummeling them, especially the annoying imp types that liked to pop up.

The lights began to decrease in frequency after a while, but small pools of glowing Mako made up for the lack of lights. Eventually the cave walls opened up into a large room, larger than the one Rude had place the generator. At the far end was a mako spring, chunks of unrefined materia glowing brightly in its depths. In the center of the room was a small behemoth, something that caught Zack completely off guard. The beast shifted defensively, growling angrily at Zack.

"Fighting that thing is my test, isn't it?" Zack asked looking back at Reno.

"How'd you guess? Don't worry, yo. It's just a baby," Reno smirked.

"If you can call a mako exposed behemoth cub 'just a baby'," Rude added.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, yo," Reno encouraged.

"If not, we'll just drag your mangled body home," Rude said. Zack frowned, taking the challenge.

"I can handle this, just watch!" Zack exclaimed, drawing his sword and charging for the beast.

"I give him 15 minutes, yo," Reno bet, holding out 1,000 gil.

"20," Rude said, holding out his own. Zack rolled his eyes at the bet.

The ravent started the battle hurling a fireball at the beast. It hit the creature, causing it to cry in pain. Enraged, the baby behemoth lunged forward at Zack, swiping with its claws. Zack dodged back, using his sword to block the blow. He stumbled as his feet hit the ground. The behemoth pulled back, turning around to swing at him with its tail. The blow hit, knocking Zack slightly and opening a gash in his leg where the barbs hit him. Zack hiss, but regained his composure as it swung its tail back for a second hit. He slashed at the rear of the beast with his sword, slicing deeply into its flesh. The behemoth squealed and retreated, turning so its injured rear was safe from further harm.

Zack advanced on the beast, preparing to slash it again. However, the behemoth lunged forward, knocking Zack onto his back as it bit deeply into his shoulder. The teen howled in pain as he felt the bones in his shoulder crunch. The behemoth's claws dug into his chest as they pinned him down, and the beast began to tear at his shoulder. Zack attempted to push the beast off, to get his sword in a good position to stab the damned creature, but he was completely pinned. He finally abandoned the idea of getting out using his sword and focused his energy on creating the strongest fire spell he could. He released the fireball, successfully blasting the behemoth and a good chunk of the skin of his shoulder away. He quickly uttered a cure spell, healing himself just enough to be able to continue fighting. He leapt forward throwing another Fire spell at the creature, and finally stabbing it. The creature roared in pain as Zack pulled his sword out and repositioned it so he could stab through its spine. When the behemoth stopped moving Zack sank down to his knees, letting his sword go in favor of clutching his still sore shoulder.

Zack uttered another cure spell on his shoulder, healing the rest of the damage. That had been a close call. He'd let his guard down, not expecting a baby behemoth to have had that much power in its bite. He'd nearly lost his arm. He turned back to the Turks, who were walking around the edge of the battlefield towards the mako spring.

"How'd I do?" Zack asked, pushing himself to his feet once again. Reno just shrugged, not giving him an answer.

"Looks like neither of us won," Rude said to Reno. "He actually beat it." Zack's jaw dropped at the words.

"You were expecting me to lose?" he yelled, pissed of at their lack of faith in him.

"Well, you are full of hot air," Rude said, smirking. Zack opened his mouth to object, but closed it decideding it wasn't worth it to get into a fight with them. He turned back towards the entrance of the room to sulk, only freeze on the spot. A low growl sounded at the entrance of the room as a full-grown behemoth appeared.

"Uh, guys, I think that thing's mom is here," Zack said, his voice small. While he'd had the confidence to deal with a baby behemoth, he knew he'd stand absolutely no chance against a full grown one at his current strength. They beasts were the beasts of legend.

"Shit," Reno cursed as he turned to face the beast. "Thought Mama wouldn't get here so quick, yo."

"With its baby screaming like it was, what would you expect?" Rude said, turning around as well.

"Zack, you sit this one back. Let us handle this," Reno directed, whipping out his EMR. He turned the voltage all the way up, causing electricity to spark around it. Rude pulled a gun, gripping it close to his body as he began to move cautiously towards the beast. Reno charged at the beast, leaping into the air a few yards in front of the beast as the behemoth lunged forward at him. The red head's EMR made contact with the behemoth sending an electrical shock through the beast, but only leaving a small burn wound on its hide. While the beast was distracted with Reno, Rude aimed the gun and fired six times, lodging a vial into the beast each time. The behemoth only seemed to get more enraged at this and swung out as Reno, who focused on dodging the attacks. After several minutes of playing cat and mouse, the behemoth stumbled and fell over, asleep.

Reno cut off his EMR and put it away. He walked back to the others, dusting off his suit as he approached. Zack forced his mouth shut, and felt the ability to move return to his body.

"It's not dead, but it'll be out for a while, yo. We'll take it back to give to Hojo," Reno explained. Zack nodded slowly. "Now that that's taken care of, let's harvest that materia!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Author's Note: **It was an infant. Drop me a review, please! Tell me what you think! It'll really make my christmas/holidays!


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